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Gender Equality resources

Interplast recognises that gender equality is a human rights issue.

Interplast is committed to the following:

  • ensuring all staff, volunteers, Board and Committee members have an understanding of gender issues and the principles outlined in this policy;
  • working with women, men, boys, girls and non-binary individuals in all of their diversity to improve quality of life;
  • respecting the values and cultures of the people Interplast works with;
  • encouraging participation of women in all areas of Interplast’s work;
  • recognising the close connection between gender and disability, and gender and poverty;
  • promoting gender equality to key stakeholders;
  • recognising that women non-binary individuals and/or sexual minorities with disability often face multiple stigmatisation and challenges in gaining access to quality health services; and
  • recognising that gender intersects with other aspects of identity such as religion, caste, disability, sexual orientation and ethnicity.

Interplast is committed to ensuring the following:

  • That there is access for people with disability regardless of gender identity in Interplast program activities
  • The planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of all programs includes consideration of gender issues
  • The different needs and priorities of girls, boys, women men, and non-binary individuals in all of their diversity are identified when implementing its activities;
  • Gender analysis tools are used during planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of programs;
  • Programs are designed with consideration to gender and disability issues;
  • Program beneficiaries (patients and trainees) are reported with disaggregation for sex, age and disability status where possible and appropriate;
  • Where possible, women, non-binary and/or sexual minorities are provided with equal opportunities to access and participate in training and capacity building activities in its programs;
  • Relevant and correct information on its activities reflect Interplast’s commitment to gender equality that influences changing attitudes and practices that reinforce gender-based stereotypes;
  • Staff, Board, volunteer and local partner capacity, knowledge and attitudes in the area of gender equality are increased through education and training; and
  • A safe environment and family-friendly work practices that enable both men and women to participate fully in work and family life.

Interplast recognises that patients are prioritised for surgery based on functional need, and the likelihood that there will be a successful outcome of their surgery. Local medical trainees are selected based on who is available, noting that often there are very few female plastic surgeons and anaesthetists in many of the countries in which we work, and conversely few male nurses and allied health practitioners.

Interplast’s Gender Equality Policy

Links to useful resources

United Nations (UN) Women has published a series of publications and tools relating to women’s rights and gender equality, which can be found here.

The Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) has compiled a list of websites related to gender equality which may be useful.

The International Labor Organisation has published a number of resources which can be found here.

The Asian Development Bank has published a useful list of resources here.

The following organisations (to which Interplast is not affiliated) work in many of Interplast’s partner countries, with a focus on child protection. They may be able to assist in developing policies, processes and other resources which are specific to local needs:

International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)

Pacific Women

United Nations Development Program

The Asia Foundation